Just Bears & Stuff

Dear Bear Loving Friends,

The last month has been quite something. Not only did the Big Bear and I have the opportunity to visit with our dear friends, Lorraine and Eddie Chien,  we also were with our daughter Anita during her open heart surgery.

First, I want to thank all our friends and loyal customers from all over the world who blessed us with your prayers and well wishes for our daughter during her surgery. It has been said the most powerful healing a person can receive is through the power of prayer. With the miracle of her recovery, I believe this to be true.

Anita is recovering nicely at her home in Southern California. I will update you in future issues of Beary Special Moments.

What a memorable trip to see Lorraine and Eddie. Pat and the Big Bear flew to Boston where we saw among other things, Old Ironsides and Cheers. Touring Boston is a history lesson in itself.

On to Toronto to visit with Lorraine and Eddie. Of course the Big Bear got lost and Pat had to call Lorraine and Eddie to save the day. But that is another story. Not only did we have a great time visiting, but Lorraine and Eddie were great tour guides of Toronto. We spent two plus days with them and wish it could have been a week.

Their home is full of Lorraine’s creations and their memorabilia of trips and family. It gives you a warm comfortable feeling just being there. We had a wonderful time with good friends. Pat got to see all the new creations and pick some for the shop. It couldn’t have been a better visit. (a few pictures are below)

Since we were so close, Pat and the Big Bear went to Niagara Falls to see that spectacular sight for the first time. If you are ever in the area, don’t pass up the opportunity to see the falls. They are indescribable.

For all our Boyd lovers, we have a very special event coming up on Saturday, October 16^th. Join us for 25 Years of Making Friends. Full details below.

Although one of the most exciting times of the year for many people is the upcoming holiday season, it can also be one of the most stressful due to the pressures associated with parties, shopping, family get-togethers, and all the high energy activity. To help you reduce the pressures that are often a part of the coming months, I have outlined some steps you can begin to take immediately in order that you can fully enjoy all the festivities throughout November and December.

I look forward to talking with you soon.

You’re the beary best!
Patricia Twitchell
Head Bear and Honey Keeper

               Lorraine & Eddie’s Family Room                         Dinner with Lorraine and Eddie in Toronto

         

Toronto Tower 120 stories up on a glass floor with “Rags the Bear”

Did You Know?

You’re invited to a Huge Celebration

25 Years of Making Friends. This beary special event to celebrate Boyd’s Silver Anniversary will be held on Saturday, October 16, 2004.

Mark your calendar for October 16^th  This will be your only opportunity to purchase our Silver Anniversary plush and resin, Elder with Newton and Elder and Newton…Bestest Friends.

You are also invited to enter to win a 30” Sterling Bear…an exquisite limited edition replica of Boyds 16” anniversary bear! A rare, once in a lifetime opportunity you don’t want to miss!

Secrets to a Stress Free Holiday Season

December and all the excitement that comes with it can either be one of the most pleasant times of year or one of the most stressful. Even though the holidays are a couple of months away, there are things you can do to make it an extremely pleasant season.

For the ten plus years I have owned and operated Just Bears and Stuff, I have been witness to those people who plan ahead when it comes to buying gifts. Then there are those who wait until the last minute. Although we love both types of customers, experience tells me those who plan ahead are the ones who seem to most enjoy the festivities that await them.

If you are planning on buying gifts this year, start with making a list of everyone you will be giving something to. You can write the list for both personal gift giving and those people who are more of a professional type relationship.

Once you write the list, organize it into two groups. One would be the easiest to buy for and the other the most difficult. Some people prefer to search out the most difficult gifts first in order to reduce the pressure associated with finding things.

Still others will buy everything at once to avoid going back to stores while there are some people who prefer to do a little bit each time they go out. By having a list and checking off those names you have found a gift for you will quickly see how much you are accomplishing.

Another time saver can be to make one trip to the store to get all your gift wrapping accessories. Bows, boxes, ribbon, paper, tape, and name tags are just a few of the items you will need to consider.

Something that has become more popular with each passing year, especially for very busy professionals, is to have a professional shopper take care of the gift buying process. Although this is a definite convenience, it can take some of the charm out of the process of shopping.

Another option is to utilize the services of store owners such as myself. After numerous requests by people who are extremely busy to help them pick out the perfect gift for someone special, I found it to be an added convenience to my customers to develop a shopping program that allows for their individual tastes and yet, takes the stress out of wrapping and shipping gifts. That is how my corporate services division was born. See below for full details.

Shopping online has become very popular over the last few years. A few tips that will save you unnecessary problems when shopping online are to know who you are dealing with. It is very easy to confuse a legitimate site with one that is set up merely to dupe consumers. Do not give out your personal information such as Social Security number, mother’s maiden name, PIN Numbers or passwords to anyone over the Internet. There is no reason for this.

When ordering online, check delivery dates and review warranties. Keep all receipts and website printouts. You will also want to check shipping and handling fees and ask enough questions to determine if there are any hidden fees.

My goal in writing this article is to help you to have the most enjoyable holiday season possible. As I mentioned earlier, I can certainly help you with your online or over the phone shopping requests. And yet, I do hope for those of you who will be in the Myrtle Creek, Oregon area, you will drop in for a visit and enjoy the huge selection of bears and gifts we make available to our guests.

Tell A Friend Program

When you tell a friend about our web page and they place an order and mention you told them about us you will receive 10% off your next order. So go ahead, Tell-A-Friend and reap the benefits. You’ll be glad you did.

Busy Professionals Gift Division

I am pleased with the respsonse we have received with this new program. Ideal for anyone who enjoys the convenience of having your own personal shopper, I can help you to find that perfect gift for your staff, client base or association members. A great way to do much of your holiday shopping without the usual worry of what to get whom.

What the program can do for you 

• Reward your employees, clients, or colleagues with something original and creative.

• Ensure your company is remembered.

• Communicate a resonating message that speaks to your thoughtfulness and good taste.

How It Works

Call me or email me for a registration form that I will send you. You send me the completed registration form along with as many business cards as you would like me to keep on hand for you. When you order a gift I include a handwritten note and your business card.  You provide whatever wording you would like added to the note.

I will open a corporate gift file just for you so each time you order a gift in this program I make a note of who it was sent to, the date, and the exact gift. That way, when you want to send another gift to the same person, there is never a repeated gift (unless that is what you want).

We specialize in gift bears for any occasion, holiday, or theme. Our corporate gift giving services are designed to help your company show your warmest appreciation.

It would be my pleasure to help you express your appreciation in a beary special way. A way that is sure to bring a smile to the person who receives your thoughtful gift.

New arrivals!  

We are pleased to announce our latest arrivals. ..

Bear Buying Tips

A new feature of this newsletter will be Bear Buying Tips. Each month, I will give you tips that are sure to make your experience a great one. If any of my readers have tips they would like to share, please send them to me.

Tip of the month – To share the joy of Teddy Bears with others share stories about how, where and why you obtained each of your special bears. Was it an anniversary gift, a birthday gift, a way to get that warm fuzzy feeling only bears can give?

By sharing your story with others, not only can they enjoy your passion, they too may find the joy having bears of their own can bring.

Just Bear Bucks

For every $50.00 purchased you will receive $3.00 in Just Bear Bucks. These can be used for any subsequent purchase. (there's only a few baby bear restrictions) 

Gift Shipping Within 24 hours

Although many people enjoy the warm, cozy and furry feeling they get by visiting us at Just Bears and Stuff, it is not always possible for you to come in. for your convenience, you can order online or over the phone and we will normally be able to ship a purchase within 24 hours of ordering and payment.

Just bears and stuff

We are a unique Gift Shop carrying many different companies plus many Artist originals and exclusives. We are a Boyds Platinum Paw Dealer carrying a full line of Boyds including Uncle Beans Treasure Boxes, Charming Angels, Faeries, Bearstones, Dollstones along with Boyds Plush and Accessories. We also carry Bearington, Cottage Collectible, Quarry Critter and Bear Foot Plush lines. Our Artists include Lorraine Chien shop exclusives, Jazzbears by Virginia Jasmer, WeeBee Bears by Pricilla Crosthwaite, Debi’s Bears by Debi Ortega, Candy Taylor and Lane Carpenter shop exclusives. We carry resin by Quarry Critters, Faerie Glen by Munro, Bear Foots, Dreamsicles along with Steiff Limited Editions and Deb Canham Miniatures and much more.

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